Have You Experienced the “Night of San Juan”?

Next Thursday the 23rd June, the beaches of Benalmádena – and many other Spanish towns and cities – will come alive to celebrate the Night of San Juan.

This not-to-be-missed date on the local festivities calendar coincides (nearly…) with the summer solstice; the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of the summer!

Fire is the protagonist of this magical night as hoards of people head to the beach to build bonfires and watch the impressive firework displays up and down the coastline. If you’re staying at Sunset Beach Club and you’re lucky enough to have an east facing view (towards the Marina), don’t miss the firework display programmed for 1am (night of the 23rd to 24th June) at the Bil-Bil Castle.

If you don’t have a room facing east, you can always take a stroll to the end of the promenade in front of the hotel; from there you will have panoramic views of the firework display.

Don’t be alarmed by all the people you see on the beaches, the Night of San Juan is extremely popular amongst locals and parties go on until early hours of the morning.

There are many traditions related to this evening; however, in coastal towns like Benalmadena, there are two main ingredients: Fire and the sea. Here are a few things you can expect to see and traditions you can take part in:

Bonfires…lots of them! It’s traditional to dance around the fires and to jump over the hot coals! A dangerous activity which supposedly brings health and happiness if you do it 3 times!

Bathing your feet and washing your face in the sea at midnight… Many people skip this and just jump in for a swim! Apparently this ritual brings health for the whole year 🙂

This one is for the ladies: If you walk into the sea with your back to the waves and let 9 waves touch your back, you eliminate negative energy and improve fertility!

If you add great food and alcohol (In moderation) you’ve got the makings of a fun and special evening! Make sure you take a walk down to the beach and take part in the festivities; you’ll have a whale of a time!